Winner
by emmyloser
Summary: No matter what she does she just can't win. She will always come out in second place. Oneshot.


**List of things I do not own: **

**1. A Ferrari**

**2. A hilltop mansion**

**3. Victorious**

Finally it was happening. She was the star. All eyes were going to be on her. Finally she was going to be in the spotlight. She worked her ass off, practicing in front of the mirror, rehearsing her lines until her alarm clock rang for school in the morning, singing her heart out everywhere she went.

It was the biggest musical of the year and Jade was the lead. She was in nearly every scene, was to sing six songs solo and two duets, always on stage. Finally, it was Jade's turn to shine. For once! Tori Vega had not surpassed her! She was the star of the show! She was ready to show the world that she too, had talent. Finally, Jade was not in second place.

Jade sat in her dressing room, the dressing room reserved for the leads, or in this show's case, the lead. She clutched her stomach, which had been causing her pain all day yesterday and today.

_Nerves._ She told herself. _I'm just nervous. _She wanted so desperately to believe it. After all, all great performers get a case of the butterflies before a big performance, right?

One hour until show time. A storm was raging in her stomach. She felt nauseous.

_I'm not sick…I'm not. I'm just nervous. I'll get out on that stage and feel right at home. I WILL rock the show. _

Suddenly her heart began beating fiercely as she got a really strange feeling in her stomach. She ran out of the room and to the big trash can sitting in the hallway.

She was quickly reacquainted with everything she had eaten all day. Tears streamed down her face as thoughts of _this can't be happening _ran through her mind. Everyone who heard her retching was quickly at her side, everyone meaning the entire cast.

"Are you okay, Jade?" She heard someone ask her.

"I just puked! What do you think?" She barked back, coughing and spitting the remains in the garbage.

"Great! Our lead has the flu!" Shouted the director, throwing his hands in the air.

"No! I'm going on! I can still do the show! I can do this!" Jade protested. Just then, another wave of nausea hit her. She bent her head back over the trash can for round two.

"No. No, no, no. You're too sick to go on Jade. We can't have you vomiting on the audience." The director told her gently.

He looked around the hallway and his eyes lit up when they landed on Tori. "Tori! Perfect! You've been to all the rehearsals! You know all the lines! I've heard you sing all the songs! You can do this, right?"

Tori looked dumbfounded. "Oh, me? Um, yeah. Right." She said, nodding.

"Good! Go get into costume! Showtime in half an hour!" He yelled. Jade watched as Tori ran to the dressing room…_her dressing room._

"_No! You can't do this! I'm the lead! Me! I can do it! I'm okay! Really!" Jade screamed at the director. _

_Before he could respond, Beck chimed in. "I'll take her home." A soft hand then touched her shoulder and guided her out._

_Beck draped his jacket over her to protect her from the chilly evening air. Even though it was a mere 50 degrees out, Jade was very hot, but accepted the jacket anyway. _

_She sat in the passenger seat, fighting back tears the entire way home. This was her night to shine. And it was ruined. Even when she wins, she ends up the loser. It was supposed to be her that got the standing ovation. Her that got the applause and recognition for her hard work and dedication. Now it would be Tori instead. Tori, who always got what she wanted. Tori, who for once, didn't deserve it. The one time it was suppose to be all about Jade, and Tori had managed to take it away. Tori still managed to come out on top. And Jade would always manage to come out in second place. By now all Jade wanted was to curl up in bed and cry._

_Jade's parents were out of town, as usual. So tonight, like most nights, home was Beck's RV. He picked her up and carried her inside, laying her down gently on his bed. _

_She didn't have to hide it anymore. She curled up with the pillows and blankets and she cried. Never did she ever feel worse. Not only did her stomach hurt, but she felt like her life was over. Something she worked so hard for had been ripped away from her. _

_Beck wrapped his arm around her and pulled her out from the pillow and into his chest. He held her close as she cried. He ran his fingers through her hair and just let her cry. _

"_It's not fair!" She wined between sobs. _

"_I know Babe, I know." She replied, still cuddling her close. "Come on, Babe. You'll make yourself sick with all this crying." _

"_Who cares! Everything is ruined! I don't care if I get sick again!" She cried. _

"_Well I do. Now c'mon…calm down Babe." He said firmly but gently._

_She quieted down a bit, still sobbing lightly. She didn't want to cry anymore; it was giving her a headache._

"_Rest, Jade. I know your not feeling good." _

_Jade rested her head on his shoulder, sighing. Beck hit the remote and the TV flashed on. He turned the channel to Jade's favorite show and she laid quietly watching. _

"_I know how bad you wanted this." Beck broke the silence that laid over them for half an hour now._

"_Yeah…" Was all Jade managed to murmur back._

"_You may have gotten sick this time, but next time you will rock the show. Because Jade, believe me when I tell you that you're amazing."_

"_Do you mean that or is this just a desperate attempt at making me feel better?" She asked. _

"_I mean it. I've never seen anyone light up the stage like you do." He pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head softly._

"_Thank you, Beck." Jade said quietly. _

_The couple just laid together for a while after that. Jade didn't make a sound as Beck held her, stroking his fingers over her hair and feverish forehead. Beck knew words weren't always the way to comfort his girlfriend. In fact, the less he said, the more impact it had._

"_You want me to get you anything? Water? Juice? Maybe a snack? A blanket?" He asked her, once again interrupting the silence. _

_She shook her head no. She realized she had everything she needed right there. Beck understood her. He was willing to take care of her and do whatever he could for her. She knew she was lucky. _

_There was no other guy as perfect for her as Beck was. He was always thinking of her and doing things for her. She knew she was lucky to have someone that loved her the way he did. That was more than anyone else had. _

_As the dull murmurs and soft light flooding from the TV hushed them completely, Jade realized that she had something Tori never would. She had Beck. She had someone who loved her with everything he had in him. She had someone who thought she was amazing. And maybe, just maybe, that was enough._

_The touch of his skin paired with the cozy bed soon lulled Jade to sleep, still wrapped in Beck's arms, right where she was meant to be. _

_When she was with Beck, she didn't have to be second place. And no matter what guy Tori ended up with, Jade knew that in her eyes he wouldn't be have the man Beck was. She was the winner. Beck was the best prize anyone could ever have. Jade finally realized that she had been first place all along._


End file.
